Handbag



Jan. 16, 1962 E. R` LoWY 3,016,939*

HANDBAG Filed Sept. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4o BY dhd17 A Wop/vcr Jan. 16, 1962 E. R. I oWY 3,016,939

HANDBAG Filed Sept. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fon/mo I? 0h/Y United States Patent York Filed Sept. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 136,014

2 Claims. (Cl. 15G- 33) This invention relates to handbags, pocketbooks and similar articles.

One object of the present invention is to provide a handbag with a handle which normally lies flat against an edge of the handbag to provide a compact handbag and yet is readily movable into an extended position when the handbag is carried.

Another object is to provide a handbag of the above i-ndicated type with a handle made of resiliently ilexible spring material which is operative to normally bias the handle into a lat position extending along the edge of the body of the handbag.

A further object is to provide a handbag of generally improved construction and design.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings which illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View, with parts broken away, of the upper part of a handbag in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of the frameand handle of the handbag showing the handle in an extended position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 isa sectional View taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an end of the handle and the adiacent parts of the handbag illustrating said parts in a disassembled condition;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational View, partly in Section, of

. part of a handbag in accordance with another form of the invention;

FIG. 8 is 4a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of part of a handbag illustrating still another form of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, taken on line lil-Ill of FIG. 9; Y

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of part of a handbag in accordance with another form of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on line lll-12 of FIG. 1l;

FIG. 13 is va perspective view of a handbag in accordance with another form of the invention; and

FIG. 14 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

Referring now to the drawings in detail and lirst to the handbag lt illustrated by FIGS. 1 to 6, the handbag com4 prises the usual body 12 having the inverted U-shaped frame members 14 and 16 which are hinged together at I8. In accordance with the invention, the handle is made of exible material and its opposite ends are mounted for movement toward and away from each other along the edge 22 of the body of the handbag to permit the intermediate or hand gripping portion 24 of the handle, between said opposite ends, to move transversely toward and away from said edge so that the handle can assume the position shown in FIG. 2 when the handbag is carried. When the handbag is not being carried, the handle 20 and more spe r' ICC ciiically the hand-gripping portion 24 is biased toward edge 22 or" the body of the handbag so that the handgripping portion normally extends along said edge and lies flat, adjacent said edge, whereby -a flat, compact handbag results with the handle occupying very little space.

The handle 20 preferably comprises an elongated member 26 of resiliently exible spring material, for example spring steel, whalebone, plastic, etc. and in its normal unflexed position, as illustrated by FIG. 1, the handle is coextensive with the edge 22 of the body 12 of the handbag. Member '26 is covered with a suitable material 2S such as leather, cloth, plastic, etc. The spring nature of the handle provides the biasing force which causes the handle to assume the flat position shown in FIG. l.

The opposite ends of the bight portion 3l? of trame member 16 are each provided with a track member 32 and each track member is provided with a slide 34 which is movable in the track member along the length thereof. The slide has a part 36 which extends through the longitudinal slot 38 provided in the track member so that it is abo-ve the latter. As illustrated in FIGS. l to 6, the track member is hollow and has `a rectangular cross section and the part 40 of the slide 34 has a width which is greater than the width of slot 38 so that the flanges 42, which deue the slot 3S, prevent the slide from being pulled out of the associated track member.

Part 36 of the slide is provided with a pair of pins 44 and the associated end of the handle 24 is pivotally mounted on said pins. More particularly, each end of the handle is connected to the adjacent slide 34 by the con necting member 46 which comprises a pair of at clamping arms 48 that are adapted to clamp the adjacent end of the handle and a pair of apertured arms 50 having apertures 52 which are adapted to be mounted on the associated pins 44. It will be apparent from FIG. 6 that the adjacent end of the handle is inserted between the spread apart arms 48 which are then moved toward each other to clamp said end of the handle therebetween. The spread apart arms 50 are moved into position so that the apertures 52 overlie the associated pins 44 and the arms are then moved toward each other whereby they are pivotally mounted on the pins and the ends of the handle overlie the companion track member. Connecting member 46 is preferably made of relatively heavy material, for example a suitable metal, so that after the arms are moved into their connected positions they will not spread apart and disconnect the handle from the body of the handbag. The inner end 54 of the track members provides a stop which is engaged by part 461 of the associated slide 34 and prevents said slide from moving out of the track member in the hand-carrying position of the handbag, as illustrated by FIG. 2.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate another form of the invention wherein the track member 32 comprises an inverted U.- shaped strip 56 whose bight portion 58 is provided with the longitudinally extending slot 38 and whose downturned end parts 60 are suitably secured to the frame mem-ber I6 of the handbag.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate another form of the invention in which the track member 32 comprises a hollow cylinder 62 having closed ends 64 which are suitably secured to the frame member 16 of the handbag and the cylinder has the previously mentioned slot 38. The slide 34 is similar to slide 34 but the part 40' is a cylinder whose diameter is greater than the width of slot. 38.

FIGS. l1 and 12 illustrate another form of the invention wherein the track member 32' comprises a U-shaped cylindrical rod 66 on which is slidably mounted a hollow cylinder 46". The downturned portions 63 of rod 69 are suitably secured to the frame member 16 of the handbag.

. Although the invention has been described with respect to a handbag having the usual U-shaped frame members, it is `within the scope of the invention to provide a flexible handle and track members on a frameless bag or box bag, as illustrated by FIGS. 13 and 14. The handle and track members and associated parts are identical to those parts which have been described with respect to FIGS. 1 to 6 but in lieu of securing the track member 32 to the frame member of the handbag, the track member is secured to the fabric of the closure flap 70 of the handbag 10 by suitable means, forl example the rivet 72 and backing plate 74- in a well understood manner. it is to be understood that as dened herein the frame members 14 and 16 are parts of the body 12 of the handbag it? and the ap 70 is part of the body of the handbag 10.

It is also Within the scope of the invention, to provide, in lieu of spring member 26 of the handle, a tension or compression spring in each track member whose opposite ends would be connected to the slide 34 and one of the ends of the track member so that the slide would be normally biased toward the outer end 76 of the track member, as illustrated by FIG. 2. It will be understood that in the case of the provision of a compression spring, one end of the spring would be secured to the slide 34 and 4the opposite end of the spring would be secured to the inner end 54 of the associated track member. In the case of the provision of a tension spring, one end of said spring would be secured to the slide `and the opposite end of the spring would be secured to the outer end 76 of the associated slide member. In either case the exible handle would be biased into the fiat position illustrated by FIG. l and would assume the position shown in FIG. 2 when the handbag is carried.

While I have shown and described the preferred ernbodiments of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specilically illustnated or described, and that certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and in the speciiic manner of practicing the invention may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a handbag having a body and a handle extending along an edge of said body, said handle comprising an elongated member of resiliently flexible material and inherent-ly biased by its own resiliency to lie adjacent said edge of the bag and movable at its opposite ends longitudinally of said edge so that a part of the handle between said ends is moved transversely away from said edge of the bag for carrying the bag by said handle, track members secured tor the bag in longitudinally spaced relation longitudinally of said edge of the bag, a slide member movably secured to each of said tracks for movement longitudinally thereof and having a part above the companion track, said par-t having laterally extending pivot bearing elements extending from the opposite sides,

respectively, of said part in position transversely of said edge of the bag, and means at each end of said handle for pivotally securing the opposite ends of the handle to said pivot bearing elements, respectively, said handle securing means 4at each end of the handle comprising a member having a U-shaped part having upper and lower clamping arms between which the adjacent end portion of the handle is secured and a second part having a pair of arms secured to and extending from said U-sltaped part in planes transversely of said handle-clamping arms and provided with `apertures in which said bearing elements are positioned for said pivotal securement of said ends of the handle to the companion slide.

2. In a handbag having a body and a handle extending along an edge of said body said handle comprising an elongated member of resiliently flexible material and inherently biased by its own resiliency to lie adjacent said edge of the bag and movable at its opposite ends longitudinally of said edge so that a part of the handle between said endsV is moved transversely away from said edge of the bag for carrying the bag by said handle, track members secured to the bag in longitudinally spaced relation longitudinally of said edge of the bag, a. slide, member movably secured to each of said tracks for movement longitudinally thereof and having a part. above the companion track, said part havingrlaterally extending pivot bearing elements extending from the opposite sides, re-

` spectively, ofV said part in position transversely of said edge of the bag, land means at each end of said handle for pivotally securing the opposite ends of the handle to said pivot bearing elements, respectively, said handle securing means at each end of the handle comprising a member having a U-shaped part having upper and lower clamping arms between which the adjacent end portion of the handle is secured and a second U-sh-aped part having a base secured to the base of said first mentioned U- shaped part and having a pair of arms extending from said iirst mentioned U-shaped part in planes transversely of said handle-clamping arms and provided with apertures in which said bearing elements are positioned for said pivotal securement of said ends of the handle to the companion slide.

References Cited in thel tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,242,283 Avery May 20, 1941 2,804,901 Litton Sept. 3, 1957 2,962,138 Finkelstein Nov. 29, 1960 2,987,150 Szabo .lune 6, 1961 2,987,151 Frambes June 6, 1961 y FOREIGN PATENTS 558,114 Italy Feb. 23, 1957 1,123,772 France Sept. 27, 1956 

